Two more news (Four Thirds commitment and Komamura).

With all that “excitement” for the Zeiss and Schneider press releases we didn’t discuss two more “hidden” info that have been given to us.

1) The Zeiss-Olympus press release contains the following Olympus statement: “Olympus Imaging Corp. will continue to develop and enhance the product lineup for both standards to meet the diverse needs of our customers.“. So once again Olympus underlines that they will continue to develop both the Micro- and the Four Thirds system!

2) We didn’t talk a lot about it but also Komamura joined m43! Komamura is a “Japanese camera manufacturer / imaging company founded in 1933 as Komamura Brothers & Co. It develops multiple imaging-associated products including battery systems, color management systems and filters as well as professional-oriented cameras and lenses.” I confess that I didn’t know the company. But once you check their website (Click here) you quickly get the impression that they are a very professional company. I didn’t know they make the famous Horseman cameras! A wonder what kind of M43 products they will make! Can you think on any interesting “thing” they could do? That’s a very intriguing question!

> So once again Olympus underlines that they will continue to develop both the Micro- and the Four Thirds system!

I wont believe it until I see E-50 or E-650 or whatever.

And I’m pretty happy with the E-620. Considering that I do not expect Oly to improve something drastically in the next camera, e.g. for 1-2 stops better low light performance I would definitely not bother upgrading. Though for better low light AF… I might think about it ;)

43photo

Let us put this to rest. Olympus released the E5 and clearely states they will develop m 4/3 and 4/3.
… if ou see an e50 or e6 or e640, people will say i won’t believe it until I see an e8…

They just released an E5 some months ago… All their lenses are still available. what more do you want? Every month a new camera or lens?

> They just released an E5 some months ago… All their lenses are still available.

They do not produce the 43 gear (with exception of E-5) anymore. Many have observed that many sellers are not even listing it anymore. Some folks talked to sellers and found out that it is impossible to order 43 gear from Olympus anymore.

OK, this is unconfirmed observations made by collective consciousness on forums, discussing price hike for 43 gear, but unfortunately there is no evidence to rebut it.

> Every month a new camera or lens?

Refresh of a camera once a year would be nice.

E-620 is now 2 years old. They could throw in latest sensor tuning, latest image processor and GPS – and that would make many folks happy.

Esa Tuunanen

It’s now pretty much too late for Oly to start doing updates for FT bodies.
Instead they should get out proper ergonomy and controls mirrorless body before any more makers get one out or they’ve wasted these years since introduction of MFT concept for loosing on both mirror and mirrorless markets as other makers (except maybe Canon) won’t be sitting with their thumbs up their butts in getting mirrorless products ready.

I would be happy with an E-5 light edition. I like E-620’s current features, just need a little updating (sensor that can take advantage of SHG and an LCD that has high enough resolution for MF). If you they released E-650 (or E-50) instead of E-5, I bet a lot of folks would be happier. E-5 is positioned in a hard-to-please market segment.

I noticed on Amazon at least, lots of lenses are no longer available. Zuiko 12-60mm, almost all SHG lenses. You can still get them from third party Amazon merchants, but their price are all at full retail price now…. Maybe they’ll become collector’s items after the announcement of the end of 4/3 production.

Here is my wish list for an E-620 update:

1) Higher DR sensor (we know this is 4/3 not a FF, so a little bit more is good enough)
2) Two more AF points
3) Retain the backlit buttons and IS buttons (both missing in E-5)
4) 920k resolution LCD screen
5) Same battery (so I don’t need to invest new ones)
6) Auto exposure bracketing (one shutter click only), focus bracketing
7) Electronic spirit level
8) More aspect ratios shoots (4×5/8×10, 11×14)
9) Additional wireless remote shutter release receptor in the back of the camera
10) E-520 hand grip (which is better for larger lenses)
11) Raise the built-in flash a little bit so even everyday lenses like 14-54mm II or 12-60mm won’t cast a shadow when use it
12) One more customizable Fn button, or at least a dedicated custom white balance button

E-30, E-6xx, E-5xx, E-4xx are largely unavailable now, I’ve even seen a few stores no longer listing certain lenses (like the 50/2) … but that could be these stores giving up on the FT idea!

Also, a few eBay re-furb re-sellers are dumping E-600 and E-620 and E-4xx models now. This is Oly clearing stocks (of those cameras). I’m not seeing a big eBay dump of new Oly glass. So lets hope its just the bodies that are finished (ready to put a non-Pan sensor into some new body forms)

Ulfo

This product (a very interesting one!) is already in production for the micro 4/3 mount:

Their profile does not indicate a prior relationship with Schneider, but they are “exclusive agents” in Japan for several German photographic products lines from Rollei, Rodenstock, Minox, Gossen and Wolf. Interesting times indeed, and the rewards for those who bought into the mFT system concept early.

More good and more mysterious news. The announcements say nothing about actual involvement of these new players. While Zeiss is in it for video, Komamura may be also, but they could been involved in making those converters for new Olympus 14-42 lens. Schneider meanwhile is a mainstream lens maker and I could see them make some regular AF stills lenses.

That consortium list is impressive. If Fuji contributed some bodies and Sigma some lenses, m4/3 could indeed end up as IBM PC of photography as someone here remarked.

the ‘both standards’ bit is the most exciting thing to read (okay so these new companies bringing new lenses and things is cool, but…) BOTH STANDARDS!

Oly, what to do, either/or:
– make an E-621 + E-31 with ‘just’ a replacement of the optical viewfinder with an electronic one (they have the technology: VF2 – build it in, don’t bolt it on). Tweak a little here and there and just get on with it. Keep the E-5 as an optical viewfinder until the E-7 in 2 years time.
– rename/rebrand the E-620/E-30 cameras with some other numbering system (E-V600 & E-V30 or something much better!) as essentially the guts of the E620/E30 but with EVF in a big jumbo looking PEN, scaled up :)
(clearly they need to drop the 400/500/600 idea and merge them)

Horseman … forget the folding idea, does this point at MODULAR?!

cL

Replace OVF to EVF, wouldn’t that be backward? Keep EVF to m4/3 level of camera, please. EVF and OVF look largely the same, but the situation you would use them can be quite different. The purpose of an OVF is largely for manual focus, under low light it is so fuzzy, how can you MF with that?

OVF is costly to make, that’s why companies keep making less than 100% OVF. If given a choice as a consumer, wouldn’t you choose an OVF over EVF?

I think in order for your marketing strategy to work, it’s better that you upscale PEN system with a “pro” label instead of dumb E-6xx down. If you replaced E-620 with an EVF, lots of people will switch to PEN or get out of Olympus camp at once. Die hard users of E-620s are actually capable photographers who know it is capable of professional result without spending a fortune. Eliminating OVF, it is just a fancy point and shoot (and I’d rather get an XZ-1 if that’s what I want) for DSLR wannabes.

Maley

OFC they say both standards cause they told before they wont abbandon 4/3s but this doesn’t mean they will make anything new for 4/3s.
I highly doubt any new 4/3s camera will be realesed.

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Pronunciation: \ˈrü-mər\
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